Hello, my name is Maurice.
Discovered at a flea market in Clermont-Ferrand, France, I was rescued for 50 centimes and immediately taken hiking. Since then I have been an ideal travelling companion: lightweight, squishable, free on trains and planes, uncomplaining, and useful in many comic situations. Over the years the shade of my pink has faded, but there will always be a new horizon to be dragged to.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Psst! Carlton, I spy Nutella on high. Yes Carter! I see it too!We must have this fabulous treasure!Hey, Maurice, will you use your Superhero cape to fly up and get us some apples?Please please?Yes, Britta, yes, Astrid. I'd be happy to.

Oof. Still gotta work on that landing.

Let's go in and sit on the nice, soft, cushions.Nice apple you got there.

Yeah! Hee hee hee. I like how it fell off the tree when you bonked it with your head.

There lies the secret to our success!A Superhero Magical Flying CapeJust the object indeed.Let us steal it once the rabbit goes away.

Here it is! Not kept under lock and key, nor watch of any kind. Silly rabbit!

How does it work?This we must discover, Carlton.It appears to be a simple length of cotton cloth, embellished with a large M.Do you see an "ON" switch anywhere? Any levers or buttons or pull cords?Nothing of the sort, Carter. Perhaps it is voice-activated.

It is large for us. Perhaps we can use it as a magic carpet.GO!Up and Away!Avanti!Hmm.

It is a cape, after all. Perhaps it is necessary to wear it. The connection of the two ends may provide an essential circuit necessary to its function.Off we GO!Up Sesame!Yee-Hawww!I have noticed the rabbit always wears it with the M hanging off the back. Perhaps orientation is important.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

It's the Poetry Bus! This week our mission is to riff off of a kid's story.Well, I think we can do that. Everybody ready for a story?Yes Yes Tell us!Once upon a time there was a woodcutter and his wife, who lived deep in the forest...That's a woodcutter?Yes, that's the woodcutter and his wife. They do, um, teak or something. Very nice wood.Ahem, the woodcutter had cut down all the nice teak trees until there weren't any left, and with the global economic crisis and all, their investments tanked and they just couldn't make ends meet. So they decided to get rid of the kids, where were eating them out of house and home anyway. Hey, kids, lets go for a walk in the woods.I thought there weren't any woods left.There was woods left, but they were just regular trees, all twisted and gnarly. Nobody wanted to buy them.So they went for a walk in the woods, and late in the afternoon the woodcutter told them to stay put while he went and got them something to eat.Mmmm I can hardly wait to eat, Greta.Harold, I'm famished. When's Dad coming back? Is he bringing steaks? But they waited and waited and the woodcutter didn't come back. Suddenly, a giant ogre appeared.HO HO! What have we here! A couple of tender morsels for my stew!The ogre swept up Harold and Greta and stuffed them in his sack. Back in the ogre lair, he threw them into the stewpot, where other terrified victims were already floating. As the meaty ogre turned his back to start a fresh green salad to go with his stew, Harold and Greta leapt out of the pot. They leapt onto the ogre and devoured him right down to the bones. Temporarily full, they let the grateful captives go.Thank you! Thank you!

Meanwhile, back in the woodcutter's mansion, the woodcutter and his wife were starting find the house empty and quiet.

It's so nice to have the place to ourselves!Mom! Dad! We're back!Oh! Why yes you are, my darlings.

What's for dinner? We're hungry.

Yes, I'm sure my dears. Let's go look what's in the cupboard.

And they lived happily ever after.Are you sure?

Why do they always live happily ever after?

What did they have for dinner?Is it our turn for dinner?

And that's our Poetry Bus ticket for this week. To check out the other riders, click here!

Heh heh heh.

Now we are free from that digusting ogre, we can get on with our nefarious plans!Yes! We will rule the world!...

People catching up with Maurice:

Maurice's favorites

Relaxing with Gus and friends

That's Gus on the lower right. Then Laars and Wenche on my shoulders. They're exchange rats from Trondheim. Then there's this bug that arrived. I dunno. It's worrisome having vermin crash your group photo, but it seems to be a nice, well-behaved bug.